Just checking in... How's your energy body feeling with these energy exercises? I've heard from so many of you that you are loving the videos and that they're helping to integrate into your day. Fantastic! Today we are going to look at the neurolymphatic reflex points, important places on the surface of the body that are connected to the lymphatic system. Our lymphatic system is part of the circulatory system and a vital part of the immune system. It's a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials by transporting lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body. Activating this natural detoxifier is important for keeping our bodily systems clean, clear, and vital. There are over 90 neurolymphatic reflex points, housed in many locations throughout the body (see pic below). Unlike the bloodstream which has the heart to pump it, lymph does not have a built-in pump. Years ago when we used our body throughout the day, adequate pumping came from our frequent movement. Our more sedentary lifestyle has impacted that, however, so it's now more important to support our health with purposeful pumping. No to worry, though. We can do this pretty easily by rubbing our neurolymphatic reflex points with our hands. Besides clearing stagnated energies (including emotional energy) and creating space for things to flow, it will leave you feeling energized and alive!! Plus touch is SO important so feel your body and rub away. As you begin, go slowly and with medium intensity of pressure. If you find any tender spots, don't avoid them. This indicates energy blockage or stagnation so rub this area for 30-45 seconds or until you want to stop. It's also neat to check the chart to see what area of your body is needing attention. Make sure to breathe and also hydrate to flush toxins. And most of all, enjoy!! Until next week, stay well and peaceful. Connect with me for any questions.

Wow! Has this been an amazing summer or what?? A host of fantastic weather (less the serious heat in New England the past few days) has made playing outside lots of fun and I'm really happy to be back enjoying it. It feels great to be out and about, staying strong with my exercise routine...and my energy routine. One of the recent events I had was an all day workshop Eden Energy Medicine 101 - Vitality is Yours! Besides learning lots of other things, we reviewed the basics of Eden Energy Medicine (EEM) and dove into practices that folks could use on a daily basis to increase their own health and support that of their family and friends. It was a huge success and I think it's safe to say that vitality was achieved!! As one participant said, "You should have taken our before and after pictures to see the amazing change!" What a great idea and I think I will on the next class which, by the way, is set for Saturday Sept 12. A foundational tenet of EEM is the Daily Energy Routine (DER), a routine that energizes and harmonizes the nine energy systems that get touched with EEM. It's a hugely stabilizing routine and sets the tone for a grounded and self-empowered day. And the best part of it (besides it being fun to do) is that the whole thing only takes about 8 minutes. Pretty good return on investment, wouldn't you say? Since there's so many of you that haven't had the chance to attend the workshop (again, really recommend it), I thought it would be fun to begin sharing the DER via video. We get into much more in class but this is a good beginning. Over the coming weeks I'll share all the pieces of the DER, ending with a final version of it all put together. And not to worry - individually the pieces are good to know as each has valuable benefits and can be done on their own. And if you lose track, you can catch them on my YouTube channel. So let's get started!!The DER begins with 4 Thumps. In this segment, we'll talk about the first two: stomach/under eye and K27. For the first Thump, with your pointer and middle finger, begin by tapping on the cheekbones underneath the eyes. Tap with a medium strength: not so light that it's irritating but not so hard enough that it hurts. Tapping here activates the stomach meridian, an energy pathway that begins inside the bottom eyelid and zig-zags all the way down the front of the body and off the second toe. Do this for 30-45 seconds to help get you grounded and release worry - a lovely way to start the day!! And don't forget to breathe while you are tapping. The second Thump is K27, the end of the Kidney meridian. The Kidney meridian begins at the bottom of the foot at what Chinese Medicine calls "The Wellspring of Life". It's our deepest connecting point to the Earth's energy. I've described in the video how to find K27, an important point in helping all the energies of the body run forward. So if you feel like your energies are running backwards, that you're not getting to where you want to go, doing things with no effect, or can't concentrate, tapping or rubbing your K27s can help. For me, it also gives me a caffeine boost without the caffeine - perfect for the late afternoon drowsies or when I'm stuck in my car driving and feeling lethargic. K27 is great anytime you need a boost of clean energy. One thing to watch for as you tap or rub these points is if the area is sore or tender. This would indicate a blockage / stagnation of energy. Releasing that stuck energy with the Thumps will help to de-congest your passageways and make you feel great so go ahead and rub away!! Look for the other two Thumps in an upcoming newsletter. In the meantime, give yourself a boost of clean energy with these two.

Rough day? Rough week? Want an easy way to shake it off and get back on track? Try Expelling the Venom on for size. Instead of spewing your "stuff" on other people, step away into a private space and enjoy this fun and exhilarating energy exercise. Do it a few times if you need to, be loud if you need to - it doesn't matter. Just do it! You'll be feeling fantastic and back to your old self in no time.

P. S. And invite your colleagues, partner, and kids to join you as well. You're not the only one with stress and, if you've had a tough day, they probably have as well.

I woke up in such a cranky mood yesterday. My lioness was definitely ready to ROAR! Even though my day was peaceful, my sleep was fitful, waking up 10 times or more. I’ll chalk it up to hormones but wow, not fun to be me the next morning. I wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything, not even happy 4-legged Suki. I was hoping to gain some relief with my morning meditation but that was equally fitful with every little sound irritating me (I’m very tonal) and my attention not able to stay centered or under eyelid (if you’ve done any work with me, you know what I mean). Ahhhh…. lots of breathing and refocusing but sometimes it just doesn’t work. What did work, though (and is usually magic for me), was walking meditation. Feeling the warm and inviting Earth underneath my feet, I instantly settled. Barefoot in my backyard, slow steps, mindful awareness, breath gently following body, resting and releasing with each step. What a relief! Mother Earth is always ready to take whatever I’m willing to release. I have much gratitude! My connection to the Earth is deep. It is for all of us as we are made of this Earth - there is no separation. Dropping into Her presence helps me drop back into mine. I’m able to let go of the pains and perceptions that caught me, my steps becoming gentle as I untangle the twists and turns of my mind. One circuit around the yard and I was a completely new person. My lioness tail was wagging and so was Suki’s as the Mom that she knows and loves was back.Walking meditation, one of the four postures of meditation, is a beautiful way to earth. Earthing, a current day term used to describe the health practice of connecting our energies with the Earth, has been with us since the beginning of our time. Energetically grounding us, our contact with the Earth’s energies aligns our polarities to provide better brain and body functions. Physiologically, it helps to improve immune function, reduces pain and inflammation, decreases the stress response, and increases a sense of well-being. Think about the last time you spent time out in nature, how good you felt afterwards. Yes! Walking meditation is also a practice of presence. When we walk, we just walk. We are with each step, noticing our body and breath and noticing the Earth’s body and breath. It’s one of the most beautiful things you can do in your life. So the next time you wake up all cranked out, get out of your way and go outside. Take those shoes and socks off and walk for peace….another free form of stress relief. And for more on getting grounded, check out the short video below which describes two techniques used in Eden Energy Medicine that will open up the gateways and help you feel more grounded and stable in meeting the needs of the day.

Does it feel like your day disappears sometimes, that you turn around and it's already gone? Vroom!! Like a speeding car, it flashes by you with barely a trace. Yes, life can be pretty fast, uncomfortably fast, and might be one of the reasons why we hold so tightly to things - so that they don't pass us by. Spending moments throughout the day to periodically pause helps us to slow that speed of life so that we can notice our travels and the amazing view. When we're able to reduce our speed, all sorts of important driving information shows up. Checking our gauges, we can make sure we have enough healthy fuel to complete our trip, we can decide in advance which route might be less congested and a good work-around for those nasty construction sites, and we have a more accurate read of the weather and road conditions. Like driving in the snow (how was your commute today?), we improve with practice and are able to adjust quickly to meet the needs of the ever-changing precursors for safe travel. We connect with our instinct and develop resiliency and strength to go the distance. In order to do that, however, we need to know the condition of our situation and what our personal "vehicle" is capable of. A vehicle that hasn't been maintained in a while may find it more challenging to meet the demands of ever changing conditions. Maintenance and upkeep are key to a safe and comfortable ride. Mindfulness, by the way, is a great maintenance mechanic. Connect with me if you have more questions on that. In this video, I offer a fun and interesting way to check your gauges when you're out traveling about and how you can support your vehicle moving forward in the direction you desire. Take a look and let me know what you think. Have a super day! And if you aren't enjoying today's April snow, you can rest easy knowing that tomorrow's forecast is for the mid 50's.